Access Importing Custom File Formats

REFERENCE GUIDE
IMPORTING CUSTOM FILE FORMATS

INTO TRIMBLE ACCESS™
Revision C
June 2021
Introduction
You can import points (coordinates) and lines in custom file formats into Trimble Access™ software using
import format definition files. Import format definition files must be defined as XML files. This document
provides the format definition rules.
A number of standard import format definition files are provided with the Trimble Access software, in the
Trimble Data folder. You can use these files to help create new import format definition files.
This document applies to all versions of Trimble Access.
File definition prerequisites

For point file importing there are the following prerequisites:
l A point name is required for each point.
l For grid points, a northing and easting value or an elevation value is required, that is, as well as three-
dimensional points, two-dimensional or one-dimensional points are allowed.
l For Global points, the latitude, longitude, and height is required, that is, only three-dimensional points
are allowed.
l For local ellipsoid points, the latitude and longitude or a height value is required, that is, as well as three-
dimensional points, two-dimensional or one-dimensional points are allowed.
For line file importing there are the following prerequisites:
l A line name is required for each line.
l Each line must have either the start point and end point defined, or the start point and an azimuth and
distance provided.
Importing custom format files

The format definitions for custom point and line import files are held in XML format files with the file
extension “IXL”. Each format definition file should be assigned a file name that clearly indicates the point or
line file format the definition has been created to support. A separate import definition file is required for
each defined point or line format. The Trimble Access software automatically searches for all the files in the
Trimble Data folder with the “IXL” file extension and presents the file names as the selectable import
formats. The file format definitions are as follows:
The file starts with a standard XML file header:
<?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”UTF-8”?>
Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 2
© 2021, Trimble Inc. All rights reserved. Trimble, the Globe and Triangle logo and Access are registered trademarks or trademarks of
Trimble Inc. Trimble Access is a trademark of Trimble Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
NOTE – Within an XML file, all element names are case sensitive so make sure that all element names are exactly
right when you create a format definition.
Following the header element is the <ImportFormat version=”1.0”> element that contains the file format
definition. This element has a version attribute associated with it. Within the <ImportFormat> element,
include the appropriate elements to define how the data items are to be read from the file being imported.
The following elements can be included in an <ImportFormat> element to provide the format definition.
Some elements are required and others are optional – indicated for each element.
<FormatType> (required)
The <FormatType> element defines the file format the definition is designed for. The values are:
l Fixed, where the file contains fixed format lines with the values to be read occupying specific locations in
each line
l CSV, where the file contains comma separated values
l Delimited, where the files contains values separated by a specified delimiting character or characters
using the <Delimiter> element
<Encoding> (optional)
The <Encoding> element defines the way imported data will be interpreted. The values are:
l UTF-8, where strings are already UTF-8 encoded
l MBCS, where strings are ASCII / Multi-byte encoded and will be converted to UTF-8
<EntityType> (optional)
The <EntityType> element specifies the type of element to be imported. This can be set to Point or Line. If
this element is omitted the system will assume that point records are being defined.
<CommaAsDecimalSeparator> (optional)
The <CommaAsDecimalSeparator> element can have only have two values—Yes or No. If this element is
omitted the definition will treat this setting as if it had been set to No. In a definition with the <Type> element
set to CSV, and this element set to Yes, the importing routines automatically expect that the separating
character for the file being imported is a semi-colon rather than a comma (thus avoiding conflicts about
where fields start and end).
<Delimiter> (optional)
The <Delimiter> element specifies the character(s) to be used as the field delimiter (used to separate the
fields in an import file) for definitions set up as a Delimited <FormatType>. The <Delimiter> defaults to a
comma character if the <Delimiter> element is not defined in a Delimited <FormatType> definition. If you

are defining a format for a file that uses the Tab character (ASCII character 9) as the delimiter, you must
define it using <Delimiter>Tab</Delimiter>. If you need to handle a specific format, you can specify more
than a single character as the delimiter.
<FileSpecification> (required)
Use the <FileSpecification> element to specify the type of files that are shown as available for import for this
format definition. For example, if this element is defined as
<FileSpecification>*.csv;*.txt</FileSpecification>, then all files in the Trimble Data folder with the file
extensions csv and txt are available for selection. If more than one file type specification is included in this
element, the specifications must be separated with semi-colon characters.
<HeaderLinesToSkip> (optional)
As some file formats may have one or more header lines before the start of the data that is to be imported,
the <HeaderLinesToSkip> element is provided to let you specify how many lines should be ignored at the
start of a file. If this element is omitted from a definition, it is assumed that no header lines need to be
skipped. If there are five header lines to be skipped, this element would be defined as
<HeaderLinesToSkip>5</HeaderLinesToSkip>.
<Match> (optional)
Multiple <Match> elements (up to a maximum of 20) can be used to define specific text that must be
matched on a line before the data from the line will be accepted. This is useful when a file format to be
imported has different types of data in it and you want to ensure that you import the data only from the
appropriate lines.
Within each <Match> element, you can use one or more <Component> elements to define one or more
text matches to be carried out. If there is only a single text match to be carried out, you can omit the
<Component> element but it is required when more than one text match is to be applied. Defining more
than one text match enables you to test that more than one text sequence is present before the line (or
lines) containing the data to be imported is read. If more than one text match is specified, each match must
be true before the point data will be read.
The following elements define the text matching to be carried out:
l <StartColumn>
Use the <StartColumn> element to specify the starting character position of the text from the import
file to be matched.
l <Length>
Use the <Length> element to define how many characters (starting from the specified <StartColumn>)
are to be read from the import file for comparison purposes.

l <Text>
Use the <Text> element to specify the text to be matched. The text matching carried out is case
sensitive and any leading or trailing spaces in the text read from the file, or in the specified match text will
be stripped before the matching operation.
l <Line>
If the file format of the data being imported spans multiple lines you can use the <Line> element to
specify which line, in the group of lines from which the point data is being extracted, the text for
matching is to be read from.
l <CSVField>
If the file format of the data being imported is delimited, use this element to specify the field containing
the text to be matched.
<Match> examples
This <Match> definition reads the data for a point if the third and fourth characters on the first line of a two
line point definition are ‘11’ and if the eighth, ninth and tenth characters on the second line are ‘212’:
<Match>
<Component>
<StartColumn>3</StartColumn>
<Length>2</Length>
<Text>11</Text>
<Line>1</Line>
</Component>
<Component>
<Length>3</Length>
<Text>212</Text>
<Line>2</Line>
</Component>
</Match>
This <Match> definition reads the data for a point if the first two characters on the line are ‘XX’:
<Match>

<Length>2</Length>
<Text>XX</Text>
</Match>
<Omit> (optional)
Multiple <Omit> elements (up to a maximum of 20) can be used to define specific text that, when matched in
a line (or lines) containing data, will result in the data being omitted from the import operation. This is useful
when a file format to be imported has different types of data in it, and you want to omit data that you do not
want imported.
Within each <Omit> element, you can use one or more <Component> elements to define one or more text
matches to be carried out. If there is only a single text match to be carried out, you can omit the
<Component> element, but it is required when more than one text match is to be applied. Defining more
than one text match enables you to test that more than one text sequence is present before the line (or
lines) containing the data is omitted. If more than one text match is specified, each match must be true
before the point data will be omitted.
Each <Omit> element must contain a <NumberOfLinesToOmit> element that specifies how many lines are
to be omitted, based on the defined text match.
The following elements define the text matching to be carried out:
l <StartColumn>
file to be matched.
l <Length>
l <Text>
l <Line>

l <CSVField>
<Omit> examples
This <Omit> definition omits the two lines of data for a point if the first and second characters on the first
line of a two line point definition are '11' and if the 20th, 21st, and 22nd characters on the second line are
'DEL':
<Omit>
<Component>
<Length>2</Length>
<Text>11</Text>
<Line>1</Line>
</Component>
<Component>
<Length>3</Length>
<Text>DEL</Text>
<Line>2</Line>
</Component>
<NumberOfLinesToOmit>2<NumberOfLinesToOmit>
</Omit>
This <Omit> definition will omit the single line of data for a point if the first character on the line is '!':
<Omit>
<Length>1</Length>
<Text>!</Text>
<NumberOfLinesToOmit>1<NumberOfLinesToOmit>
</Omit>

<DefaultDataLineMatch> (optional)
A single <DefaultDataLineMatch> element can be used to define a match definition for identifying lines in a
file that contain default data that will be assigned to following points. This is useful when a file format to be
imported has a specific structure that allows repeated data in following points to be included a single time
prior to the points. Note that this repeated data can only be handled in a single line that precedes the points
that are to use this data. When defining the import format, the record definitions must be structured so that
the repeated data is treated as if it is present in every record.
The following elements define the text matching to be carried out as part of the <DefaultDataLineMatch>
element:
l <StartColumn>
file to be matched.
l <Length>
l <Text>
l <Line>
l <CSVField>
<DefaultDataLineMatch> example
For example, the following file with repeated Code, Desc1, and Desc2 data values can be handled as a space
delimited file using the <Field> definitions following this data table:
Code FCE Desc1: P&W Desc2: 10
1 299350.279 522734.975 15.263

2 299362.583 522712.673 18.265
3 299355.653 522742.151 12.845
Code PP Desc1: SS Desc2: 1.3
4 299349.378 522741.250 22.358
5 299343.953 522786.482 16.352
6 299356.554 522735.876 15.846
Code PP Desc1: Light Desc2: 8
7 299371.233 522735.456 14.964
8 299363.007 522734.275 16.832
9 299373.154 522722.074 15.436
Code TREE Desc1: OAK Desc2: 5.5
10 299382.165 522762.168 12.698
Code TREE Desc1: PINE Desc2: 8
11 299356.398 522787.958 12.836
Code TREE Desc1: BIRCH Desc2: 6.5
12 299321.769 522735.925 18.102
In the following definitions, each point element is considered as consisting of two lines and when required
the current default line is effectively inserted to complete the two-line definition.
<Fields>
<PointName>
<Component>
<Line>2</Line>
<CSVField>1</CSVField>
</Component>
</PointName>
<Northing>
<Line>2</Line>
</Northing>
<Easting>

<Line>2</Line>
</Easting>
<Elevation>
<Line>2</Line>
</Elevation>
<Code>
<Line>1</Line>
</Code>
<Description1>
<Line>1</Line>
</Description1>
<Description2>
<Line>1</Line>
</Description2>
<DefaultDataLineMatch>
<Component>
<Line>1</Line>
<Text>Code:</Text>
</Component>
<Component>
<Line>1</Line>

<Text>Desc1:</Text>
</Component>
<Component>
<Line>1</Line>
<Text>Desc2:</Text>
</Component>
</DefaultDataLineMatch>
</Fields>
<LatLongFormat> (optional)
The <LatLongFormat> element is available to let you specify the format used for latitude and longitude
values in the imported file. This element can be set to DMSDegrees or DecimalDegrees and if the element
is not included then the default expected format is DMSDegrees. When reading DMSDegrees values the
system parses the latitude and longitude values by looking for the degrees(°), single quote ('), and double
quote (") identifiers, or a decimal point, to provide the split between the degrees and minutes values. This
means that values of the forms ddd°mm’ss.ssss” or ddd.mmssssss can be imported.
<Fields> (required)
The <Fields> element contains the individual definitions for the data to be read from the file being imported.
Each of the elements under the <Fields> element identifies the data type that can be read into the Trimble
Access software.
For importing point files, the data type elements are:
<PointName>
<Northing>
<Easting>
<Elevation>
<Code>
<WGS84Latitude>
<WGS84Longitude>
<WGS84Height>
<LocalLatitude>
<LocalLongitude>

<LocalHeight>
<Note>
<Description1>
<Description2>
For importing line files, the data type elements are:
<LineName>
<StartPointName>
<EndPointName>
<StartStation>
<StationInterval>
<Azimuth>
<Distance>
<Code>
<Note>
<Description1>
<Description2>
Within each of these data type elements the following elements are available for defining the data to be read:
l <StartColumn>
Use the <StartColumn> element to specify the starting character position for the value to be read.
l <Length>
are to be read for the value.
l <Line>
specify which line, in the group of lines from which the point data is being extracted, the value is to be
read from.
l <CSVField>
When the format type is CSV or Delimited, use the <CSVField> element to specify which comma
separated or delimited field (on the appropriate line if specified) the value is to be read from. Even with
CSV or Delimited type files, you can still use the <StartColumn> and <Length> elements to define a

particular portion of a field to be extracted. In this case the <StartColumn> value defines the starting
column within the field itself.
l <ImpliedDecimalPlaces>
When reading numeric values from a file that has values output without their decimal point character,
use the <ImpliedDecimalPlaces> element to define where the decimal point is inserted into the value
(how many decimal places there will be).
For example, if you set the <ImpliedDecimalPlaces> element to “3”

(<ImpliedDecimalPlaces>3</ImpliedDecimalPlaces>), the value “803265184” will be interpreted as
“803265.184”.
l <NullValue>
Often, a special value is used in a file format to indicate a null value. Use the <NullValue> element in a
numeric field definition to specify the actual value or string that is to be interpreted as a null value.
For example, if a file format uses “-999999” as the null value for elevations, then include <NullValue>-
999999</NullValue> in the <Elevation> element definition to have any points with elevation values of “-
999999” interpreted as null values when a file of this type is imported.
For the <PointName>, <Code>, <Note>, <Description1>, <Description2>, <StartPointName>, and

<EndPointName> data types you can specify multiple <Component> elements to allow the imported point
name, code or note to be ‘assembled’ from multiple fields within the data being read.
In association with the ability to assemble the <PointName>, <Code>, <Note>, <Description1>,
<Description2>, <StartPointName>, and <EndPointName> from multiple fields two further elements can
be used within each <Component> element to specify how the fields are assembled:
l <Prefix>
The <Prefix> element lets you specify some text that will precede the data extracted by this
<Component> as the point name, code or note is assembled.
l <Suffix>
The <Suffix> element lets you specify some text that will follow the data extracted by this <Component>
as the point name, code or note is assembled.
The <Component> element is optional and may be included or left out when the <PointName>, <Code>,
<Note>, <Description1>, <Description2>, <StartPointName>, or <EndPointName> includes a single
definition.
<Fields> examples
The following definition extracts the first eight characters from the first line in a pair, then the 32nd to the
35th characters from the second line, and assembles them as the point name with a hyphen (-) character

inserted between the two portions of the name:
<PointName>
<Component>
<Length>8</Length>
<Line>1</Line>
<Suffix>-</Suffix>
</Component>
<Component>
<Length>4</Length>
<Line>2</Line>
</Component>
</PointName>
The following definition builds the code from the sixth and fifth CSV fields and inserts an underscore
character between the text from the two fields:
<Code>
<Component>
</Component>
<Component>
<Prefix>_</Prefix>
</Component>
</Code>
The following definition simply uses the first field from a CSV file as the point name:
<PointName>
</PointName>

General notes
When importing data from formats where the fields for a single point are spread over more than one line,
the importing routines determine the number of lines that constitute a point definition based on the largest
<Line> element value in the definition. During the import process, the file is read as a series of groups of
lines based on this largest <Line> element value.
When an import definition covering multiple lines also defines text matching, and a text match fails, the
import process increments only a single line rather than the complete group of lines based on the largest
<Line> element value. This approach allows a new match to be established as soon as possible.
Lines from line definition files are not imported unless the <StartPoint> and <EndPoint> (if appropriate)
already exist in the job that the lines are being imported into. Therefore, make sure that the appropriate
points have been added to, or imported into, the job prior to importing the lines.
Any <Azimuth> and <Distance> values in a line definition file are interpreted according to the current
Angles and Distance and grid coordinates settings in the Properties of current job option.

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REFERENCE GUIDE

IMPORTING CUSTOM FILE FORMATS

File definition prerequisites

l A point name is required for each point.

For line file importing there are the following prerequisites:

l A line name is required for each line.

Importing custom format files

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 2

l CSV, where the file contains comma separated values

l UTF-8, where strings are already UTF-8 encoded

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 3

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 4

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 5

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 6

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 7

Code FCE Desc1: P&W Desc2: 10

1 299350.279 522734.975 15.263

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 8

3 299355.653 522742.151 12.845

Code PP Desc1: SS Desc2: 1.3

4 299349.378 522741.250 22.358

5 299343.953 522786.482 16.352

6 299356.554 522735.876 15.846

Code PP Desc1: Light Desc2: 8

7 299371.233 522735.456 14.964

8 299363.007 522734.275 16.832

9 299373.154 522722.074 15.436

Code TREE Desc1: OAK Desc2: 5.5

10 299382.165 522762.168 12.698

Code TREE Desc1: PINE Desc2: 8

11 299356.398 522787.958 12.836

Code TREE Desc1: BIRCH Desc2: 6.5

12 299321.769 522735.925 18.102

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 9

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 10

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 11

For importing line files, the data type elements are:

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 12

For example, if you set the <ImpliedDecimalPlaces> element to “3”

For the <PointName>, <Code>, <Note>, <Description1>, <Description2>, <StartPointName>, and

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 13

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 14

Importing Custom File Formats into Trimble Access | 15

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